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Classic Shell 4.0 beta

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Grand Master

Fraud OS 11

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Classic Shell will soon have a closed beta for the upcoming version 4.0. If you are interested in participating, please register in the Classic Shell forum at www.classicshell.net/forum and send a PM to the user Ivo. Include details about the system configuration on which you plan to use CS4.

What's new in 4.0?

?New exact "Windows 7" menu style that replicates the look and feel of the Windows 7 start menu?the programs show in a tree inside the main menu

?search results and jump lists show inside the main menu

?dedicated shutdown button

?the unparalleled customizability you've come to expect from Classic Shell

?You can search for files as well as programs (Windows Search integration)

?The menu can show the frequently used programs instead of the recently launched

?Newly installed programs are highlighted

?Many improvements to performance and responsiveness

?Programs can be pinned directly from Explorer

?New search feature for the settings

?New more reliable way to start on Windows 8, that doesn't use a service

Why should you do this?

Participation in the beta has some benefits. You get an early glimpse into the new features in CS4. You get to influence the development of CS4 before the features are finalized.

The beta will begin early next week and will run for about two weeks.

Hurry up, seating is limited.

  • AndyMutz, Karl L. and Max Norris
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Karl L.

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Although I don't use Windows often enough to participate in this beta, I really appreciate all the hard work you have put into Classic Shell. I recommend it to friends and family who do use Windows. The only complaints I have heard, and the reason some people I know have bought Start8, is that the Classic Shell start menu can't look exactly like the one in Windows 7, and the search feature does not work very well. It looks like you are addressing both of those concerns in Classic Shell 4.0. Thank you so much for all your hard work and for giving the Neowin community the opportunity to be involved in the future of your open-source project!

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Grand Master

Fraud OS 11

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Thanks. Yes both issues will be addressed in version 4.0 :) The look now matches Windows 7 style menu, with a neat square corners skin that makes it feel "native" on Windows 8, not tacked on. The search feature will also work like Windows 7's menu and in addition to that, it can find EXEs from the system path too. And of course, it runs on Windows 7 as well as it's a combined Start Menu with the best of the XP, Windows 7/Vista menus with extra features, customizations and usability tweaks.

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Grand Master

Fraud OS 11

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Other refinements and changes in Classic Shell 4.0 include:

 

- New Windows 8 optimized skin
- Simpler way to customize Start Menu items in Windows 7 style
- A new 'Turn off monitor' command which you can add to the Shutdown submenu
- Search box for settings dialog and nested settings. Dependent settings are offset from their parent
- Country flags in the Languages tab
- Computer item can now show a list of drives as a menu without expanding them further
- Secondary Tiles for Modern apps show the personalized tile name and can be launched from the menu as well
- "Install Updates and Shutdown/Restart" functionality like the original Start Menu
- Aero Glass rendering if the MSFN member BigMuscle's AeroGlass for Windows 8 mod is installed
- Enhanced keyboard shortcuts like Home/End/Page Up/Page Down in addition to F2, Del, Alt+Enter etc working everywhere
- Shift+Win uses a hotkey instead of a keyboard hook so it will give less problems and work with elevated programs
- The icons and data are saved to a cache on disk at %APPDATA%\ClassicShell, so the menu should stay responsive all the time.
- Right-click for the Win+X menu works even when all corners are disabled
- New setting for the icon size for the classic button
- Windows 7 treeview style can show folders first, single shortcuts later
- Classic IE9 renamed to Classic IE as it has enhancements for IE9 and up
- Classic Shell 4.0 no longer supports Windows Vista

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